My Happiest Moment
by aroseofmanyleaves
Summary: Maria's thoughts and last moments when she sacrifices herself to save the valley.


They were greedy and foolish, and ruled by the need for power. They cared more for their pride and reputations than they did for their lives. They had had a chance to save themselves, but now all hope had been lost. They couldn't give up their pride, even if it meant that I had to now finish it myself.

I took the first few steps, looking behind me with every hope that there would be someone daring enough to try and stop me and what I was doing. Instead, they all looked fearful, anxiousness glinting in all of their eyes.

The cliff-face was rocky and crumbling. The area was surrounded by dark green trees, the outskirts of the forest which my uncle had forbidden me from entering, several times, which I had ignored. The sea lay before my eyes, and I stared glassy eyed into the deep blue depths. The people who stood behind me, the ones that I loved, were Loveday, Benjamin, Coeur de Noir and his son, Robin. My darling Robin.

I snatched the gleaming pearls from my uncle's pale, fleshy hands, picked up the long velvet material around my feet that was my beautiful red dress and walked slowly to the very edge of the cliff. My dress swirled around me in the breeze and I looked up at the huge silver moon, which reflected off my woody brown eyes. With all the force from within my soul, I looked up again at the moon in front of me on the horizon and I cried out,

'On the five thousandth moon, I Maria Merryweather, Moon Princess of Moonacre, hereby remove the curse that darkens this valley. Take back what is yours! '

And with that, and all the glazing stares from everyone behind me, I flung the pearls from my breast into the air and towards the perfect blue sea. I went to turn away, when something caught my attention from the corner of my eye. It was those god-damned pearls. They were not falling. Curiously, and rather eerily, they were hovering in mid-air. Suddenly, they came flying towards me, like the whole scene I had performed was being replayed backwards or shown on rewind. They crashed into my chest and I caught them before they fell to the dusty ground. In anger and annoyance, I snatched them up and ripped apart the chain that held them all together as a necklace. I chucked the pearls again, this time each one being individual and alone. And again, they hovered, like the whole scene was paused. They hurled through the air in a pack, like a swarm of bees, and before I could register what was happening, they all attached themselves to the upper part of my dress. Panicking, I desperately tried to brush them off but it was like they were sewn onto my gown with unbreakable threads.

And then, it struck my fourteen year old brain. What I had to do was perfectly clear. I turned around and looked at everybody's confused expressions. Loveday looked fearful; she had guessed what I was going to do. Her mouth was hanging open slightly and she was shocked. Uncle and Mr DeNoir were bemused and then there was Robin. He was looking slightly gormless, as usual. A small smile crossed my lips before I turned back around. How badly I wanted to call out to him I would never know or understand.

Tears clouded my vision and my nose was running but I sniffed loudly and wiped them from my eyes. I stared hard at the moon, almost becoming lost in its intricacy and beauty, before I whispered to the sky, a last smile on my face,

'Are you ready for me?'

And then, I jumped. I heard Loveday scream piercingly, and I heard the heavy footsteps of Robin running, trying to grab me. But I was already gone.

I was bathed in beautiful moonlight and I had never felt so serene. My dress flapped wildly around me, but the whole situation was silent. I tried to look down, but it just increased my fear. And then I realised that I wasn't afraid of dying, just afraid of being so young and never being able to finish my life. I closed my eyes, and smiled again, my last moments, the happiest thought I had ever been.

When I crashed into the water, there was a huge ripple before my head sank below the water and my last bubbles of oxygen popped up from the surface. Hopelessly, I attempted to hold my breath but my lungs were shrieking for oxygen so I opened my mouth and let the water flood in. From that moment on, I had no hope at all. I found myself sinking and sinking, deeper and deeper. My flesh turned pale and my eyes were like glassy orbs. I sank for what felt like hours, until my soul and my body, in a final joint effort, finally gave up trying and everything went black.

And then, the very next second, my limp body was lying on the rocky cliff-side. I was soaked to the skin, but oddly alive. I heard shrieks of joy and people crowding around me, constricting my breathing space. I coughed, and with it came up half the salty ocean from my mouth, I tried to quickly sit up, but someone stopped me, took of their purple velvet cloak and tucked it under my head. I opened my eyes to see, right next to my deathly white face…

'Robin?'

'Maria? Oh my God. Are you okay?' he asked nervously. I laughed inwardly; he was actually worried about me.

'Yeah, I'm fine, really. Am I dead?' Robin chuckled out loud, put his hand around mine, kissed me on the forehead and said,

'No, you're alive. You saved everyone, including me. You saved me when we first met, you saved me from sadness.'

He pulled me to my feet. I wobbled slightly, but Robin clutched my waist so, I didn't worry anymore about falling. The moon, I noticed, was further from the Earth, but its light still radiated brightly over my face.

'Were you worried Robin?' I asked cheekily. He pulled a face.

'No. Anyone could've done that.'

I laughed sarcastically and slapped him (hard) on the arm.

'Ouch!' he shouted defensively.

'Oh be quiet, you _girl_.' I murmured.

He pulled a mock 'I'm so offended' face. I put my hand on the back of his neck and kissed his rosy perfect lips. Now this was _definitely_ my happiest moment.


End file.
